To the Depths of Hell, And Still I Rise
by Jubilee
Summary: What happens when you hit rock bottom, with little or no hope of escape? Can Cat survive the experience?
1. Where am I going....

Cat moaned softly, traces of a pungent smell filling her nostrils. Chloroform her mind whispered as she came to. She sat up carefully, her eyes opening to thin little slits. As her head started to throb, she raised her hands to her temples and rubbed them, her eyes closing once more. Soon, the pain subsided and she opened her eyes, sitting up to carefully search the room for any attackers. Seeing she was truly alone, she looked down and groaned. Whoever had kidnapped her had also taken every stitch of clothing she had on, from her tool belt to her underwear to even the gold hoops her mother had given her for her twelfth birthday.   
  
She shivered and stood up carefully, grasping one of the bedposts for support. Slowly, she made her way to the mirror and stood before it, inspecting her body. There were some bruises on her arms and legs, even a few on her ribs, but she didn't seem to be worse for the wear. Heaving a sigh of relief, she walked over to the closet and opened the doors, searching for something to cover her body.   
  
Most of the clothing in the closet revealed more than it concealed, its contents consisting of teddies, negligées and other types of lingerie. Thankfully, though, there were a few pairs of short shorts and some cropped shirts. She yanked them out and searched the drawers of a dresser next to the closet, discovering nothing but lacy, impractical bikini underwear and thongs. No bras. Cat grabbed a thong and pulled it up her legs to settle low on her hips, wishing the entire time that it was really a pair of boxers, her underwear of choice.  
  
Just as she had finished pulling down the shirt, the door unlocked with a CLICK! Cat jumped up, startled, and fell automatically into a fighting stance. Slowly, the door creaked open and in peeked the head of a young girl, no older than 16 with an angelic baby face. Blonde waves tumbled around her face, falling in the way of bluish-gray eyes.   
  
Cat straightened as the girl stepped in cautiously and closed the door behind her. She smiled wryly and murmured, "You're awake. Hi, I'm Bethany. Welcome to hell."   
  
"I'm Cat," she replied as her eyes scanned the girl. "Where are we?"  
  
Bethany shrugged. "I don't know exactly. We're not allowed outside. But my guess is somewhere in the Middle East. They sound like they're speaking Arabic, anyway."   
  
Cat nodded, storing away the information for later use. Her eyes drifted over Bethany's attire, a pleated plaid skirt, a white blouse, a light, burgundy jacket and a black. collar? A slender black collar was wrapped around her neck, with a small black box one the side. Upon closer inspection, she saw a keyhole in it. "What's that around your neck?"  
  
Bethany nodded. "Thought you'd notice it. It's a tracker with a stun mechanism. This way they can keep us under control. You're wearing one too. Didn't you notice?"  
  
Cat's hand flew to her throat. Yup. There it was. A strong nylon collar with a small plastic box on it. She hadn't noticed it until now. She carefully explored it with her fingertips until the blonde said, "It won't come off. You need the remote or the key to unlock it. If you try to pick the lock, you'll get shocked. Bad. You get shocked for disobeying, too. Wouldn't get me to do this otherwise."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
Bethany stared at her. "You really ARE green. You've been placed in a prostitution ring, hon. All of us are whores. The guys get us customers, we lay 'em, they pay 'em and we get food, clothing, shelter and stuff."  
  
Cat's eyes widened like an anime character's "WHAT?!"  
  
Bethany nodded, "You sound like me when I first got here 2 years ago. I was 14. I guess you've never done this before."  
  
"You think?"  
  
Bethany opened her mouth to reply when a fat, muscular, Middle Eastern man stepped in the room.  
  
"Get out," he growled at Bethany in heavily accented English  
  
She paled and eeped, running out of the room like a bat out of hell and leaving Cat alone in the room with the man. Cat looked up at the man with a mixture of fear and rebellion.  
  
"Stand up," he commanded harshly, his thick guttural accent coloring his speech. Cat stared up at him from the bed, not moving.  
  
Don't let him know you're afraid, Cat. Hide it behind the mask. You act afraid, you give him power over you. Don't give it to him.   
  
The fat man shook his head and muttered. "They always play tough," he murmured as he pulled out the remote and pressed a button before Cat could react.   
  
Electricity and pain shot up and down Cat's spine. She screamed and fell to the side as her fingers clawed desperately at the collar, trying to stop the pain. And then, just as suddenly as it came, the pain stopped.  
  
Cat lay on the bed for a moment, catching her breath and stilling her pounding heart. When they had both steadied somewhat, she sat up and stared at her captor, allowing some of her fear to show.   
  
"Stand up," the man growled once more.  
  
Cat stood, clasping her hands in front of her demurely as she bit her lip.  
  
"Take off your shirt."  
  
Cat looked up, startled. "Excuse me?" she whispered.  
  
The man grunted. "Now."  
  
Cat pulled off the shirt and placed it on the bed neatly before crossing her arms over her chest and shivering. "It's cold."  
  
"Remove your arms."  
  
She took a deep breath and lowered her arms, revealing her naked breasts, tipped with cold-hardened nipples.   
  
"Now take off the shorts."  
  
Cat slowly unbuttoned the shorts and slid them down her legs, kicking them to the side. She once again clasped her arms in front of her, hoping that this would be done soon.  
  
"The underwear."  
  
"WHAT?! No! NO!" she shouted just before the collar shocked her once more.   
  
Cat screamed until the pain disappeared, collapsing in a heap on the floor. Her heart pounded in a tattoo as she pulled herself up and stared at the man, her eyes fully revealing the fear she felt.   
  
"The underwear. Now."  
  
Watching him cautiously, she slipped the scrap of material off her hips to lay in a crumpled heap on the floor. The man stood up and strode over to her, moving quickly for a man his size. He roughly spread her legs and thrust harsh fingers into her vagina, tearing delicate tissue and ripping an agonized gasp from her lips. Cat flinched away, trying to pull the fingers out of her, but he merely laughed and grabbed her arm, throwing her onto the bed and following her...  
  
*****  



	2. ...and WHY am I in this handbasket?

**2 Weeks Later**  
  
Cat sat curled up on a chair in the lounging room, barefoot, wearing tight, short blue denim shorts and a white tank top. Her knees were drawn up to her chest as she stared blankly at the wall. 2 weeks. 2 fucking weeks, during which she has been repeatedly abused, physically, mentally and sexually, until she was a mere shadow of her former self. When she wasn't going through her share of torture, she was busy helping the others recover from their own, including cleaning wounds from whippings and soothing the youngest girls out of their states of shock afte a session.  
  
Where the hell was the fucking Calvary? The tracker in her watch had been set off as soon as she had gotten it back, which was a couple days after she arrived. But no one had come. She had avoided being chosen by the customers so far, but she didn't know how much longer she could avoid it.  
  
The door behind Cat creaked open, causing a sudden hush to fall over the formerly buzzing room. The fat man who had raped Cat escorted an overweight, balding, white man wearing a gray business suit into the room. The businessman was brash, red-faced and sweating as he wandered around the room, carefully inspecting each girl before passing them by. Cat tucked herself tighter against the plush chair, whispering silent prayers to whatever deity that she would not be chosen.  
  
Unfortunately, that deity seemed to have decided that this was the perfect day for a vacation. "I'll take her," she heard the man say in a husky voice. It was vaguely familiar, but she was certain she had never met the man before.  
  
The fat man grabbed Cat's arm in a bruising grip, which caused the businessman to scowl and gently pry his fingers off her arm. "I don't like my merchandise bruised."  
  
As the fat man spilled apologies, Bethany drew Cat aside. "If you just relax and don't fight it, it'll be ok. He looks like a guy who isn't getting any at home. Strip off your top as soon as you get in and surprise him. He'll get off faster, and it won't be as rough, because he'll think that you want him."  
  
Cat nodded and followed as the fat man led her and the "customer" into a separate, private, soundproofed room. She wandered in as the businessman conversed quietly with the fat man. Glancing over, she shuddered in disgust and turned away as he was given the remote. Seeing no way out of this, she pulled off her top and tossed it aside, onto a chair as the man shut the door and rubbed the back of his neck. Cat turned around just in time to see the man peel off his face and reveal, "MAX?!"  
  
Max turned around, eeped, dropped the mask, and clapped his hands over his eyes. "Please put your shirt back on."  
  
As Cat grabbed her shirt and Max hid his eyes, Berto stared unabashedly at Cat from the safety of his monitor. His eyes narrowed as he noticed some shadows on her body. Typing in a string of commands, the camera zoomed in and focused, recording Cat's every move. An angry flush grew on his face as the camera revealed them to be, no shadows, but bruises on Cat's slender body. "Max, look at her when she puts her top back on. She's got bruises all over her body," he said with a soft, outraged growl.   
  
Max stiffened and murmured, "Damn it." Louder, he asked, "Cat? Can I open my eyes now?"  
  
"Go ahead, Steel."  
  
Max pried his fingers off and opened is eyes just in time to see Cat tackle him. Max grunted as Cat's willowy body hit his, knocking him onto the bed as her fists flew, hitting him in the head, chest and stomach.  
  
"TWO WEEKS! TWO FUCKING WEEKS, STEEL!" she screamed, beating on his chest with her clenched fists as tears poured down her face. "Where the hell were you? Did you know? Did you CARE?! What were you doing while I was here? Do you have any clue what they did to me?! What they MADE ME DO?" she sobbed before she finally collapsed on Max's chest.  
  
Max went still. The bruises on her body and her mental state only led to one conclusion. One he really hadn't wanted to consider. But seeing this, he knew he had to. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her trembling body, soothingly stroking her back. "Shh..... it's gonna be ok.....We're gonna get you out of here as soon as possible," he murmured softly in her ear."  
  
After a few minutes, Cat swallowed and wiped her eyes and cheeks, sniffing as she tried to remove any evidence of her former weakness. Slipping into her Secret Agent role, she said, "Max. There are about 45 girls here. The oldest are about 28 while the youngest are 11 and 12 years old. We have to get them out. They're the important ones right now. Not me."   
  
Max's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief. One second, she was hysterical, and the next, she was calm and worrying about the other women first. Typical, unpredictable Cat. "We were actually hoping you'd say that. See, they offer water fights here. Two women fight in a pool, and the men watch and bet on it. Problem is that it's a fight to the death. We've mapped out the place, and we're hoping to strike in two days. It would be even easier if we had an agent in place already. Do you want to do it?"  
  
Cat nodded instantly. "No problem." Max smiled reassuringly at her and bent forward to pick up his mask. He grasped the mask and straightened up as Cat murmured, "Max?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't tell anyone? Please?"  
  
Max stared at her mutely for a moment before nodding resignedly. "My lips are sealed."  
  
"Thank you," she whispered before curling up on the bed and staring at the wall once more.  
  
Max looked at her melancholy face and plopped down on the bed beside her. "You gonna be ok?"  
  
Cat nodded absent-mindedly.  
  
"Anything I can do to help until we can get you out?"  
  
She snapped her head around, coming out of her self-induced trance. "What?"  
  
Max shrugged. "Anything you want or need?  
  
Cat nodded. "I need to know...What took you so long?"  
  
Max sighed. "The place lets off some weird radiation that masks it from our tracking systems. It was overshadowing your tracer."  
  
"Then how did you find me?"  
  
"About a week ago, an agent was investigating the readings and saw you. He knew you were missing, so he informed Jeff, and he put us on the mission. Reason it took so long was partially finding you and partially doing reconn."  
  
Cat lay back on the bed, causing Max to notice her ribs protruding slightly. "Have you lost weight," he asked suddenly.  
  
Cat shrugged. "They put stuff in the food. So, I don't touch it unless I have to.   
  
Max reached for the briefcase he brought and pulled out a couple of 3 Musketeers and Hershey Bars. "Here."  
  
Cat rolled over and grabbed one of the bars, ripping off the wrapper, tearing off a piece and quickly shoving it in her mouth, swallowing quickly, like she was starving, But then again, technically, she was. After she finished off the candy, she sat back and sighed contentedly, her stomach making happy, gurgley sounds, causing both Max and Berto to snort softly.  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
"Oooh, yeah," she murmured, lying back once more. "Chocolate makes Cats happy. Now," she continued over Max's chuckles. "What have I missed?"  
  
"Rachel's back."   
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Yeah. She's head of the mission."  
  
"Have you two resolved your issues?"  
  
Max looked a little embarrassed. "We don't have issues."  
  
"Sure. And Buffy's really a virgin."  
  
"Speaking of the Slayer, Buffy's mom died."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Max nodded solemnly. "Anya broke down, too," he said, causing Berto to groan audibly and shake his head.  
  
Cat's pretty face formed a scowl. "See, NOW, I have to kill them."  
  
Max grinned. "Don't worry. I taped it."  
  
"Steel, I think you just saved their hides."  
  



	3. Hitting Rock bottom

** Two days later**  
  
It was mid afternoon, and Cat was lying on her back, in bed, contemplating what she was going to do when she got home. Her current fantasy included a long, hot bubble bath, lotion, pants, and a hot meal with the rest of Team Steel. She had even gotten Max to promise to drag Berto along, as she had missed the quiet boy's dependable presence. She just hoped that what had happened wouldn't freak him out and make him start avoiding her.  
  
She actually really liked him. He was sweet, smart and charmingly naive, childlike at sometimes and surprisingly adult-like the next. He was absolutely adorable, and an amazingly loyal friend.   
  
Suddenly, Cat's door slammed open and the fat man strode in, cursing. Cat scrambled up towards the headboard, curling her body into a fetal position.  
  
"Get up," the man growled harshly, gripping her upper arm and yanking her up off the bed.  
  
Cat's green eyes widened as he dragged her out of the room and down the hall. "What's going on? Where are you taking me?"  
  
"The stupid cow, Lauren, tried to kill herself, leaving us without a challenger for the fight. You've been more trouble than you're worth. So you shall take her place and fight Nora"  
  
"Who's Nora?"  
  
He ignored Cat's question and threw her into a small room. Striding over to the wardrobe, he pulled out a filmy, red dress and thrust it into her hands. "Put this on," he commanded and strode out of the room.  
  
Quietly, Cat stripped off all of her clothes and tugged on the dress. Standing before the mirror, she inspected the clinging, sleeveless, spandex bodice and the shimmery, filmy layered skirt. Some exploratory stretches revealed a surprising amount of freedom in movement. As she began a series of warm-ups, she mentally prepared herself for the battle ahead. If she refused to fight, they'd shock her to the point where she COULDN'T fight. And then Nora would kill her. There was no doubt about that. She'd just have to incapacitate her first. But she wouldn't kill her. There was no way in hell they would make her a murderer, she decided with a steely glint in her eye.  
  
Cat could feel the men's invisible eyes on her body as she strode to the center of the room where the pool stood, looking deceptively shallow at three and a half feet deep. Nora was already standing by the pool. Her stocky, muscular body was encased in ice blue Lycra, airy around her dark tan skin. Her brown eyes stared into Cat's as they both ascended the platform and jumped into the frigid water.  
  
The two women circled each other warily, watching for any perceivable weakness in her opponent's defenses that they could exploit. The skirts of their uniforms floated behind them lethargically, like the tails of fighting fish, strangely appropriate. The men above them shouted catcalls and placed bets, but the women were oblivious to all but their opponent.  
  
Suddenly, Nora lunged forward, diving swiftly under the surface and grabbing Cat's ankle, yanking her underwater. Cat gasped a split second before she was submerged, so she held her breath and forcibly calmed her pounding heart. She brought her free foot up and kicked Nora under the chin, effectively freeing herself. Nora reeled back from the blow as Cat resurfaced, inhaling much needed oxygen.   
  
Finally able to focus her eyes, she noticed a trickle of red slip down from Nora's rapidly swelling lip. Dark brown eyes narrowed as Nora's foot flashed out, trying to knock Cat off balance. Quick as her namesake, Cat grabbed it and pulled it towards her, punching her in the stomach. Nora winced, but recovered and grabbed Cat by the throat, digging her nails into her throat. Cat wheezed as blood trickled down her neck, and worked her had under Nora's grasp, forcing it off. Once she was loose, she grasped the woman's wrist tightly and twisting sharply, causing Nora to scream as tendons tore and bones cracked.  
  
Cat's eyes turned to the pool's walls, searching for an exit. The fat man circled around the glass like a well-fed shark waiting for its next meal, his face showing macabre enjoyment at the situation  
  
All of a sudden, a hand shot out from behind, slapping Cat in the face and bringing her attention back to her opponent. Eyes narrowed, she whipped around to face her once more. Nora's hand whipped out again, but Cat, now prepared, grabbed it as it flew out and swiftly broke it.   
Practically disabled, Nora backed up against the glass, her liquid brown eyes wild and frightened. The fat man pounded on the glass behind her, his face red with excitement as he shouted, "KILL HER! KILL HER!"  
  
Cat swallowed hard to deny him was a death sentence. But could she really kill? She glided forward slowly, her normal quick gait impeded by the water's resistance. Slowly, ever so slowly, she wrapped her fingers around the girl's throat. Then, she suddenly dropped them, shaking her head. "No."  
  
The fat man's expression was livid. "Kill her you stupid bitch!" he screamed, his rage thickening his accent to the point of near incomprehensibility. Realizing that no blood was going to be spilled, the enraged customers shouted, demanding their money back or for her to kill Nora.  
  
Ever so carefully, Cat boosted Nora out of the pool and onto the wet concrete outside. She started to pull herself out as well, but before she could lift herself out fully, the fat shoved her back down into the water, holding her there for a minute as he screamed and yelled incoherently.   
  
As soon as he let go, Cat surfaced, coughing up water and ripping her eyes. While she was temporarily blinded, the fat man pulled a lever. The ceiling opened and a heavy metal grate fell out. It lowered itself into the glass pool as the steps were wheeled away, effectively trapping her.  
  
With a horrendous screech, the grate slipped into the pool, scraping the sides of the glass and effectively sealing off any hopes of escaping her fate. Cat futilely pressed up against the grate, trying to stop it unsuccessfully. Realizing she wouldn't be able to free herself that way, she took a deep breath just before the grate hit the water. Diving down, she pounded against the walls of the pool as hard as she could, doing nothing but tiring herself out and using up precious oxygen. One minute. Two. Three. Four. Unable to control herself any longer, Cat finally inhaled, breathing water into her lungs. She clutched her throat as she gasped, and coughed her way into unconsciousness.  
  
Just before her vision went black, Cat saw a wall explode and N-Tek agents pour in. About damn time, she thought as she blacked out.   
  
As the agents fought off swarms of armed guards, Berto had snuck into the back to find Cat and the other women. Running through the halls, he brought up the building schematics in his head. Making the appropriate turns, he skidded into the lounging room, drawing the attention of all the women. Before one of them could scream in response to his wild-eyed state, he said, "Relax. I'm here with some others. We're trying to get you out of here.  
  
Quickly, he dug out a remote he had constructed to override the collar's shock and lock function. Pressing the button, the locks audibly clicked open and the collars fell to the floor, looking like a swarm of black snakes. As the girls rubbed their necks gingerly, Berto called out, "Cat?" The girls looked at each other as he asked, "Where's Cat?"  
  
A baby-faced blonde stepped forward. "If she's not here, she must be fighting."  
  
A dark girl hobbled in, cradling her arm. "She's being caged as punishment for not fulfilling her duty.  
  
Berto looked confused. "What?"  
  
Bethany's eyes widened, "Fuck. Caging is when they put you in the pool and cage you in. They lower the cage until you can't get any air so you drown."  
  
Berto paled. "SHIT!" he shouted as he ran back to the pool.  
  
Bethany's eyes narrowed. Turning to the rest of the girls, she said, "I'm fuckin' SICK of this. Nora. You stay here with the littlest ones. The rest of you, come on. We're gonna help rescue Cat."  
  
The girls raced down the halls and skidded to a stop at the entrance to the room. Men and women were all over the place, fighting their captors. Suddenly, one of the girls looked up and shouted, "Hey! They're getting away!" As a group, the girls surged forward, tackling their former tormentors.  
  
Meanwhile, Berto had run over to the machine and was trying to get the grate to rise. Finally, he cursed in frustration, picked up a gun from a fallen guard, and fired a shot at the glass. The pool exploded in a shower of water, glass and one pale body.  
  
Berto pulled her body out of the wreckage and into an alcove. Placing his cheek near her face and his fingertips on her throat, he found no breathing or pulse. He then began CPR.  
  
***  
  
Max and Rachel fought back wave after wave of cheap "cannon fodder." After the fifth or sixth wave, Rachel was starting to feel the effects of her exertation. Glancing over at Max, she could see that he, however, was barely winded. He quickly dispatched of the last 3 guards and stood looking over his work for a moment. Then, he heard a shout from the door. The fat man had grabbed one of the younger girls and had put a gun to her head, a maniacal gleam in his eyes.  
  
"I'll kill her! I swear! I'll...."  
  
BANG!  
  
The man flew to the side and landed in a heap, the gun flying from his grasp and the neatly drilled bullet holes in his temples began to seep blood. Everyone, even Berto, stopped and turned to look at the source of the flying piece of metal. Bethany stood there, pale and trembling, holding a fallen guard's gun in a shaky grip.Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to drop the gun. The little girl ran over to her and flung he arms around her waist, sobbing softly. Bethany sunk to her knees, her arms wrapped around the crying little girl, rocking back and forth. Rachel started towards them when suddenly Berto shouted out.  
  
"MAX! RACHEL! Get over here and help!!!! Cat's not breathing!"  
  



	4. The Shit Has Hit the Fan

****Part 4****  
  
      Max and Rachel ran over as fast as possible, Max kneeling by Cat's head while Rachel took position by her chest. Leaning forward Max inhaled deeply and sealed his mouth over hers, exhaling into her mouth and forcing her lungs to inflate with oxygen. After exhaling once more, Rachel interlaced her fingers and placed them on Cat's solar plexus, pressing down repeatedly, manually pumping he heart. Cat choked as water splurted from her mouth, but no other response was forthcoming. Berto stood behind them, watching their movements, his brow furrowed.  
  
     Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he turned towards the girls. "How strong is the shock on the collars?"  
  
     "Pretty damn strong. Knocked some of us out. It's adjustable"  
  
 Berto's eyes lit up ever brighter. "Get me one! NOW!"  
  
     The girl ran off and returned quickly with the collar, but to Berto, it seemed like an eternity. As she skidded to a stop, he snatched the collar from her grasp and quickly wrapped it around her neck. Cranking it up as high as possible, he pressed the button. Cat's body jumped and he reached forward to check her pulse. Nothing. Again, he pressed the button. A third time. A fourth. Rachel checked Cat's pulse once more. Her head shot up. "She has a pulse!"  
  
     She placed her hand beneath Cat's nose, but felt no breathing. She leaned forward and pinched her nose, breathing into her mouth as Max moved aside, allowing Rachel to work. Cat's chest rose and fell as her lungs inflated and deflated. Rachel was just about to take her pulse once more when a choking cough racked her body. Everyone watched as she inhaled and exhaled, her pale green eyes opening, dazed, but lucid.  
  
      Rachel looked into her eyes and crisply demanded, "Cat, look at me." Cat turned her head, ignoring the ache. "Do you know who I am?" Cat nodded. "What's my name?"  
  
      "Rachel," Cat murmured, slightly slurred.  
  
      Rachel nodded. "Good. Who are you?"  
  
      "Cat," she said, a little stronger.  
  
      Rachel nodded again and held up two fingers. "How many fingers, Cat?"  
  
      "Two."  
  
      Rachel turned to the rest of the agent with a relieved smile on her face. "Max, go place Cat in the 'Behemoth.' Berto, you go with him and monitor her. Jake, you and Sophia go get the girls settled in a safe house. The rest of you, take these men into custody. I'll be accompanying Max and Dr. Martinez. We will meet tomorrow to debrief at 4:00 PM." At her nod, the agents rushed off to perform their assigned tasks, and she hurried to board with Team Steel.  
  
      By the time she had boarded the plane, Max had prepared for takeoff and Bert had tubed Cat and placed her on a heart monitor, which was letting out slow, steady and reassuring beeps.  
  
      "How is she?" she asked softly.  
  
      Berto looked up at her with a tired expression. "I have her on a heart monitor. Her pulse and blood pressure are low, but steady. What I'm worried about is her mental state."  
  
Rachel nodded. "Policy is that when a situation like this occurs, therapy is mandatory before returning to the field. She's also going to have to regain all the weight she's lost."  
  
Berto looked down on Cat's frail form. "I gave her a mild sedative. But in case she panics when she wakes up, would you sit with her?"  
  
Rachel nodded. " Not a problem," she said, taking a seat.  
  
Rachel sat with Cat for the entire flight home. When they arrived, Jeff had insisted they go to some of the empty bedrooms and rest there. Rachel stayed in the room for a total of 20 minutes before returning to Cat's side in the infirmary. She had sat in a hard, plastic chair for several hours, not moving, when Max crept silently into the room, walking up to stand behind her.  
  
"Never realized how little she was until now," he murmured softly. "She always seemed.. I don't know.. bigger. Stronger. More capable."  
  
Rachel nodded, still watching the unconscious woman in front of her. Someone had stripped off the red dress and placed a hospital gown on her. Her flesh looked pale and paper thin, almost as white as the sheet.  
  
The both sat there for several moments until suddenly Rachel broke the silence. "This shouldn't have happened." She looked at Max with damp green eyes. "Did you know she's only about 2 years older than you?" As Max shook his head in denial, Rachel turned back to stare at Cat. "She turned 23 last month."  
  
Max gently rubbed her back, trying to sooth her frazzled nerves. "Rache, there's no way you could have known this would happen. You're not God."  
  
Rachel let her head drop to her chest, looking as broken as she felt. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her torso and lifted her up. "Come on. Bed. No protests."  
  
She stared up at him with hollow eyes. "Can you please stay with me?" She asked hesitantly, a tremor in her voice. "I don't want to be alone."  
  
Max nodded and carried her out the door.  
  
***4 days later***  
  
Cat sat cross-legged on top of the crisp white sheets on her bed. She was now wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white camisole shirt, having gotten rid of the hospital nightgown as soon as she woke up. Since she had gotten back, she had seen Maggie, N-Tek's psychiatrist, twice. Both visits had been spent recounting her tale. After that, she'd usually nap and recover from the mental exhaustion, but, for some reason, she was too keyed up to sleep.  
  
Suddenly, the door to her room slid open and Berto walked in to check her vitals. Under normal conditions, one of the regular doctors would perform the task. However, when anyone besides Maggie, Jeff, and the rest of Team Steel touched her, she would tense up and sometimes even lapse into an almost catatonic state that would last for up to hours. A coping mechanism, Maggie called it. Understanding that it could actually inhibit her recovery, Berto volunteered to care for her.  
  
A smile grew on his face as he saw Cat awake and aware. "Hello, Cat." She nodded in greeting, standing up, sticking out her arm and opening her mouth. Berto chuckled and popped the thermometer in her mouth before wrapping the blood pressure cuff around her arm. As he squeezed the bulb, Cat tried to say something around the thermometer. Berto smiled. "Cat, it'll be done in a minute. Hold on."  
  
As soon as he took everything off, she asked, "When can I get out?"  
  
He shook his head. "Not today. You were suffering for malnutrition and an electrolyte imbalance, not to mention that you died. We want to keep you under observation for a couple more days. Then we'll release you."  
  
"Ok," she murmured, downcast as she slid under the sheets.  
  
Berto's eyes grew concerned. Any other time, she would have walked out, regardless of what the doctor recommended. That, however, was before "The Incident," as everyone had taken to calling it. His face hardened as he remembered his frustration at how everyone tried to pretend it didn't happen. While it may have been making it easier for the other agent to pretend that it was all a fluke and that it couldn't happen to them, it wasn't helping Cat.  
  
Sitting on the bed, Berto rubbed the top of her hand softly and asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?" Cat murmured something in reply that he couldn't hear, so he said, "I'm sorry, Cat. What did you say? I didn't hear you."  
  
Cat's pale green eyes, so like her namesake's turned up and stared into his. "I said 'Lie to me.' Lie to me and tell me it will all be ok and I'm not dirty anymore, that they didn't take something from me that can't be fixed, so I can just pretend for a little while that it's all ok again."  
  
Berto's eyes widened as tears started to roll down her cheeks. It was one thing to see her cry on the vid-screen. It was completely different when it happened in front of him. His chest ached as he took a page from Max, gathering her up in his arms and rocking her.  
  
She pressed her face against his shoulder. It felt nice to let someone else take care of it all for one, she thought, allowing the tears to fall unchecked.  
  
He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed her arm soothingly. "I can't do that, Cat. I respect you too much to lie to you. But, I can be there for you, if you want," he murmured against her hair, making his voice as soothing as possible.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting his soft, soothing words act like a balm to her tattered soul. She stayed there, clinging tightly to him until her tears had subsided to soft sniffles. Wiping her cheeks and eyes, Cat let out a big yawn.  
  
"Tired?"  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
Carefully, he laid her back down and pulled the sheets up around her. "Go to sleep," he whispered.  
  
She smiled softly at him and snuggled into the pillows, letting her eyes drift closed as sleep overtook her. As soon as her breathing steadied, Berto slipped out of the room, closing the door that connected her new room to his lab. 


	5. A shock and the healing power of Tori

Quick Disclaimer, as I forgot it before. I only own the ones you don't recognize. Except for Maggie. Maggie belongs to Ellen Brand, who was kick- ass enough to let me borrow her. GO ELLEN! Tori is Tori Amos, and she owns herself. A little help from my friends is owned by…..Someone. I dunno. I think that's it!  
  
**Part 5**  
  
A few hours later, Cat padded into the lab, looking more rested then before. Her pajamas had been exchanged for a pair of jeans and a baggy, oversized sweatshirt.  
  
"Feeling better?"  
  
"Yes. I haven't slept that well in weeks. What time is it?"  
  
Berto checked his watch. "About 5:30 in the morning."  
  
Cat nodded and sat in a nearby chair. "What are you up to?"  
  
He shrugged. "Seeing if I can waterproof Fido."  
  
A low, throaty chuckle spilled from her lips. "Why? You're going to take him swimming?"  
  
Berto shrugged. "Never know. Might come in handy," he said as he worked.  
  
Cat sat back and watched him work methodically, his movements almost soothing in their smooth rhythm. After about a half hour, a soft, sudden knock on the door startled both Cat and Berto. He swung around and stood up to answer the door, when he noticed that Cat had slipped off the chair and was huddled behind it, almost completely hidden. He ran over to see her sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest, her face ashen and her eyes glazed. He ran over, sliding onto his knees and taking her hands in his, his attention focuses solely on her.  
  
Through the door, Maggie walked in; she gazed around and saw Cat's state. She walked over and slowly knelt down next to her patient, and calm look on her face. "Cat? Cat. Listen to me. It's Maggie. It's just me. You're not there. You're back in N-Tek, and you're perfectly safe. Now come back."  
  
Cat blinked, and the glazed, ashen look gradually left her face. She took a deep breath and finally realized her surroundings. A red blush colored her cheeks as she jumped up and murmured, "Sorry, flashback," before sitting back down on the chair, trembling.  
  
Berto wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he looked at Maggie. "Why are you here so early. It's not even 7 yet."  
  
Maggie took a deep breath and sighed. "I've just received a phone call from one of the prosecuting attorneys. They want to subpoena you as a witness."  
  
Cat grew very still. "Why me? They have dozens of girls they can use."  
  
Maggie rubbed her temples. "They don't want to subpoena the minors, if possible, which leaves only about 10 women, 6 of which are US citizens. They need your testimony, because you're the most convincing, with the fighting and all."  
  
Cat shivered at that mention. Berto, protective as ever, noticed her shudder and said, "I think we should delay this for now. Cat, why don't you put your shoes on. I'll take you out to breakfast."  
  
Cat's eyes lit up. "Really? With real food? With flavor and texture and fat?"  
  
Maggie chuckled. "Sick of low fat hospital food?"  
  
Cat nodded. "Oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch and dinner. I'd KILL for solid food."  
  
Berto rolled his eyes with a grin. "You would have had trouble swallowing from the tubing, anyway. And even if you could, it would have come right back up. You'd barely eaten in 2 ½ weeks. But if you don't push it, you should be able to eat some solid foods. Maybe some eggs."  
  
Cat smiled, an expression Berto was growing to crave. "Thanks, Berto."  
  
He nodded, his lips forming a soft smile. "No problem, Cat. I was getting hungry anyway. I'll go get changed, and then we'll go."  
  
** 15 minutes later **  
  
Cat sat quietly in the passenger seat, hands folded primly in her lap as the jeep cruised down the quiet seats of Del Oro.  
  
"I never thought you'd drive a jeep."  
  
Berto gave her an odd look. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Cat shrugged. "I just always pictured you driving a normal car, like Max's."  
  
Berto chuckled. "It's one of my secret vices."  
  
Cat smiled as her attention returned to the road. "I thought it was just Twinkies."  
  
Berto shook his head. "Nope. My secret vices are Twinkies, SUVs, Rock and Roll and…" he trailed off.  
  
"And?"  
  
"Ricky Martin"  
  
Laughter bubbled in Cat's throat. "Oh, don't let Max find out!"  
  
Berto grinned. "Not planning to."  
  
The two lapsed into a companionable silence for a minute before Cat spoke up once more. "I like Tori myself"  
  
Berto glanced at her once more. "Tori Amos?"  
  
Cat nodded. "Mmmhmm"  
  
He reached forward and grabbed a CD from a case. As he popped it in, he said, "I actually have some of her songs. I downloaded them off of Napster."  
  
The sounds of a piano filled the car as an angelic voice chimed in.  
  
"What would you do if I sang out of tune?  
  
Would you stand up and walk out on me?  
  
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song  
  
I will try not to sing out of key."  
  
Berto smiled inwardly as Cat's voice chimed in with Tori's, slightly off key, but infectious none the less. As the chorus started, he joined in, adding his tenor to Cat's husky alto.  
  
"I get by with a little help from my friends  
  
Yeah, I get high with a little help from my friends  
  
Ooh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends…." 


	6. The Testemony, or How to Make a Chauvani...

Berto sat on a hard wooden bench, his blood running cold as Cat recounted her tale in a quiet, somber tone for the court and the world to hear. She described daily rapes, and caring for small children who had been ripped apart, and yet were forced to repeat their ordeal the next day. When Cat described one particularly gruesome incident involving an  
  
11-year old girl who had been brutally gang-raped until she bled, Berto happened to glance over at Max and Rachel. Rachel's mask-like face was white as a sheet, as she stared at Cat, in shock. Max however was red-faced and looked like he wanted to hit someone, preferably the men who did that. His attention, however, was drawn back to Cat as she explained the consequences of pregnancy.  
  
"One of the girls, Rashel, got pregnant. They beat her until she finally miscarried. They just left her there, lying in a pool of blood and crying. It was awful."  
  
"Did they say anything while they hit her?" the lawyer asked quietly.  
  
"Yes," Cat murmured softly.  
  
"What did they say?"  
  
She took a deep, shuddering breath. "They said she was a tramp and a whore and that she was good for nothing but what was between her legs. They said if she died, it would be her own fault, and that she deserved it. That she deserved everything that happened to her."  
  
"Objection, your honor! How would she know what they were saying?" the defense lawyer spoke up in an obnoxious, whiney voice.  
  
The judge looked at her with warm, sympathetic, brown eyes. "Please answer the question."  
  
"My roommate in college was from the Middle East. She taught me Farsi in exchange for Self-Defense lessons. I learned to speak it almost fluently, although it's very literal."  
  
The judge nodded, giving her a small, encouraging smile. "Proceed."  
  
The prosecuting attorney returned her attention to Cat. "The abuse went beyond that, though, didn't it?"  
  
Cat nodded. "Yes. They forced the girls to battle each other to the death."  
  
"You were forced to as well, correct?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Describe what happened."  
  
"We were placed in a pool and told to fight until one of us killed the other."  
  
"What ended up happening?"  
  
"I broke her arm and ankle, but I refused to kill her."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't kill."  
  
"So what happened next?"  
  
"They tried to kill me by caging me in the pool so I'd drown."  
  
"You, in fact, DID drown, correct?"  
  
"Yes. I was resuscitated by the rescue team."  
  
The lawyer sat down. "No further questions, your honor."  
  
The defense lawyer stood up and strutted over like a self-impressed peacock. An overweight white man dressed in a gray Armani suit, his demeanor screamed control.  
  
"You said you were taken from a club you had gone to, correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What were you wearing?"  
  
"I was wearing a pair of leather pants with a studded belt and a tank top with boots."  
  
"That's rather suggestive clothing. Were you meeting someone?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Were you planning on going back to your place?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"So basically, you dressed suggestively, planning to meet someone and return to your home. Are you always this promiscuous?"  
  
Cat looked at him with dark, sad eyes. "I did not ask to be kidnapped and be raped."  
  
"You were looking for sex…"  
  
"But I said 'No'." she interrupted quietly. "And at that point, it became a crime."  
  
The lawyer's mouth dropped open and quickly shut. "No further questions, your honor," he murmured as her sat down. 


	7. All You Need is Love and a tribute to Th...

Berto escorted Cat to his car. "Ready to go home?"  
  
Cat shook her head veminantly. "No."  
  
"Where do you want to go?"  
  
"I don't know. Some place where I won't be alone."  
  
An idea floated across Berto's mind and flew from his lips before he could think it through. "Would you like to come to my place?"  
  
Cat looked up at him, startled at the offer. As she stared into his blue eyes, her mind raced, considering her options. She could go home and wake up repeatedly with nightmares or go over Berto's house and delay the inevitable.  
  
"Your place, please."  
  
Berto's face flushed, but the coloration barely touched his swarthy complexion. "Sure," he said as he opened the door, sliding into the driver's seat.  
  
Cat watched his hands as they gripped the steering wheel. Long, slender fingers clutched it tightly, turning his knuckles white. "Berto?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," he said, his eyes never leaving the road.  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"Cat, it's nothing."  
  
"Fine," she said, taking a deep breath. If he didn't want to talk, she wouldn't push.  
  
When they arrived at his house, Berto led her up the steps and into the living room. "You want a drink?"  
  
Cat nodded. "That'd be good."  
  
Berto walked into the kitchen and grabbed two frosty Snapples from the fridge. As he walked back, he noticed Cat looking at his bookshelf. She carefully pulled out a slender hardbound book and opened it, skimming the contents.  
  
"See something you like?"  
  
Cat whirled around. "I love this play."  
  
Berto walked over to her and read over her shoulder, his breath ruffling her hair. "Shakespeare? I wouldn't have thought."  
  
She smiled at him, her eyes brightening up the tiniest bit. "I always loved his Comedies and Histories. Henry V is one of his best."  
  
His eyes scanned the text, tracing over the familiar words. With an exhalation, he murmured into her ear, "There's witchcraft in your lips, Kate."  
  
Cat turned her face towards his, startled by his statement. Blue eyes stared into startled green, searching as their lips rested mere inches from each other. Ever so slowly, their lips inched closer and closer until they were barely touching, when suddenly, Berto's stomach growled. Laughter bubbled up in Cat's throat as he flushed a dull red.  
  
Calming down, she smiled at him and said, "I'm actually kinda hungry, too. How about I order a pizza?"  
  
Still red, he nodded. "Sure. I'm just gonna go change."  
  
"Sure, no prob," she called as she started dialing.  
  
Berto ran upstairs and locked himself in his bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face and stared at himself in the mirror as water droplets dripped off his nose and chin. What the hell are you doing, taking advantage of her like that? he thought as he stepped into the showed and started to rub his chest with a soapy washcloth. After he rinsed off his body, he quickly washed his thick, dark hair and stepped out, tousling his hair dry with a soft, white towel. Wrapping it around his waist, he stepped out into the hallway and was bombarded with the scent of spicy tomato sauce and gooey cheese.  
  
As his stomach growled once more, he quickly pulled on some jeans and a white tee shirt. Yanking on his socks and shoes, he ran downstairs to see that Cat had placed slices of pizza on two plates and was filling up classes with ice and cold iced tea.  
  
Turning at the sound of his footsteps, she smiled and offered him a plate and a glass. "Feel better?"  
  
He smiled and nodded before taking a bite of the pizza. "Thank you. This is really good," he said, licking some sauce off his lips.  
  
Cat nodded and took a bite out of hers as well, the cheese stringing out. As she chewed, she glanced around and noticed all the framed photos. "Is this your mom?"  
  
Berto looked up and nodded. "Yes. And my three sisters."  
  
"You look like her."  
  
He nodded again as he polished off his slice and grabbed another. "She was the one who introduced me to Shakespeare."  
  
Cat smiled. "A well educated woman indeed. They have Shakespeare in Spanish?"  
  
"Yes, but mama read it to me in English."  
  
"Any bedtime favorites?"  
  
"Hmm... Probably... A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night."  
  
Cat nodded, a mischievous grin on her face making her seem more normal than she had in months. "'What fools these mortals be.'"  
  
Berto chuckled. "Puck. 'To sleep, perchance to dream.'"  
  
Cat gave a small snort. "Hamlet. Um...'My only love, sprung from my only hate.'"  
  
"Romeo and Juliet," he called as they started to clear off the table. He thought for a moment as he dried dishes. "Hm... 'Come and kiss me, Kate.'"  
  
Cat looked at him for a moment. "Petruchio, Taming of the Shrew," she murmured and kissed his mouth softly. After a moment, she drew back, a questioning look on her face.  
  
Berto had an incredulous look on his face, almost as if he wasn't sure that it was him she wanted. Cautiously, he leaned forward and placed his lips on hers, completing the kiss.  
  
As they withdrew, goofy smiles grew on both of their faces.  
  
"That was definitely of the good," Cat murmured, causing Berto to chuckle once more.  
  
"Mmm..." he agreed as he rested his chin on her head. "Definitely." 


	8. And in the end it's right....I hope you ...

*** 10 Years Later***  
  
Dark fingers typed quickly, the clicking of the keys filling the room. "Ok, about 10 feet away, there's a corridor. Go down it. There'll be a door. Go in and there'll be a computer. You can download it there."  
  
Cat followed the directions and started the download. "What time do we have to pick up the kids?"  
  
A husky laugh filled her ear. "5:00, love. Ali has her green belt test at 6, and 'Rique has a doctor's appointment at 5:30."  
  
"How's his ear?"  
  
"Better. The doctor just wants to check on the tubes."  
  
Cat nodded as the computer beeped. "Done."  
  
Berto clicked a few last keys. "Good. Now get out of there!!!"  
  
Cat scampered down the twisting halls and tunnels, flinging herself to the damp ground as the building shuddered and fell to the ground.  
  
"Cat!"  
  
"I'm fine," she said as she stood up and dusted herself off.  
  
He exhaled in relief. "Good. Hurry back, now, or we'll be late."  
  
She chuckled. "And Ali will throw a fit. I should be there in 5 minutes."  
  
"Want me to have the first aid kit ready?"  
  
"Yeah. I have some lovely scrapes and bruises to add to my collection."  
  
"Anything broken?"  
  
"Nope, not this time. I'm all in one piece."  
  
He snorted. "For once."  
  
"Hey! I haven't broken a bone in 6 months!"  
  
"I haven't broken one, period."  
  
The door to the Behemoth slid open. "Showoff."  
  
Berto snorted again as he turned around in his chair to face her. "Whatever you say, amante," he chuckled as he held his arms out to her.  
  
The slender brunette settled into his lap as he tapped the key that sent the aircraft on an auto-course home. "Are you gonna write the report or should I?"  
  
"I'll write it if you take Enrique to the doctor's."  
  
She made a face but nodded, "Deal."  
  
Berto kissed the tip of her nose. "Good. We're going to get home a couple hours before the kids are due home."  
  
Cat grinned. "Maybe we can give Alijandra what she wants for Christmas."  
  
"A pony?"  
  
"A baby sister."  
  
Berto's baby-blue eyes narrowed and smoldered enticingly. "I think we can work on that," he murmured into her ear.  
  
Cat relaxed against is chest as he kissed her neck. It had been a long, hard battle, but after lots of therapy, love and affection from Berto, she was now married for 8 years with two beautiful children and a wonderful husband she couldn't stop kissing. As she turned her head to kiss him, she smiled at the thought running through her head. Life just doesn't get any 


End file.
